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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Entertainment
Dan Lyons

Molly Qerim, Stephen A. Smith React to SNL's ‘First Take’ Sketch

Saturday Night Live will dive into the sports world every so often, and over the weekend, it really nailed the experience that is ESPN's First Take.

In a sketch that was cut for time last Saturday, Chloe Fineman played host Molly Qerim, Chris Redd took on Stephen A. Smith and Kenan Thompson delivered an excitable Michael Irvin while episode host Will Forte appeared as a fictional sports blogger.

The group debated what is supposed to be the most anodyne of sports topics: “is Tom Brady exceptional or very exceptional,” with Redd and Thompson getting more riled up by the minute. Eventually, things turned into a literal apples vs. oranges debate.

“All I've gotta say is she got me good,” Qerim said on Monday's First Take. “They got me good, they got me good.”

Smith agreed, complementing Redd and Thompson's performances, as the real Irvin laughed along, before pointing fans to a previous SNL sketch in which Redd portrays New York City mayor Eric Adams.

With the reaction it's received, hopefully we get more First Take sketches on SNL. It wouldn't hurt to take the ESPN program down a peg every once in a while.

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